Bloodlust
by Frontline
Summary: When Laura is attacked by a Feral Mutant, she turns to the FF for help.


**All characters and concepts are the property of their respective creators. No copyright infringement is intended, or profit made, from this work of fiction.**

Amongst the crowds of commuters and tourists, a young woman with black hair stepped off the train, zipping up her leather jacket against the cool evening air. As she made her way out of the station, she glanced up, catching sight of the Baxter Building a few blocks away. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary tower block, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. In reality, it was the home of the Future Foundation and one of the few places that she felt truly safe. Her name was Laura Kinney and she was a Mutant, a homo superior, one of a growing percentage of the population who were born with incredible abilities. Even as she walked, if she concentrated, she could hear the heartbeats of the people around her and detect smells far too faint for humans to pick up. For most Mutants, these abilities were a curse, rather than a gift. Shunned and feared by the rest of humanity, Mutants faced persecution and hatred. Laura was one of the fortunate few to have found sanctuary. Suddenly, she stopped, her nostrils twitching as she picked up a smell that was horribly familiar.

 _Blood..._

Following the smell, she crosses the street towards an alley where a figure was crouched against the wall, behind a dumpster. He was dressed in dirty, torn clothes, a stained trench coat and tattered jeans, his brown hair scruffy and unkempt. He must have heard her because his head whipped round, his eyes wild and savage. He gave a deep growl in his throat, his eyes flashing golden and he lunged towards her, fingers curled like claws. Laura dodged back, sweeping his leg from under him, knocking him to the ground. With a snarl, he scrambled back onto all fours and crouched to leap at her again. However, his eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped to the floor. Laura waited for a moment before reaching out to press her fingers to his neck, checking his pulse.

 _He's unconscious..._

Pulling out her cellphone, Laura punched a number into her speed dial and pressed the phone to her ear.

 _'Hello?...'_

'Mrs Richards...'

 _'Laura? We weren't expecting you until later...'_

'I need your help,' Laura said. 'I've got an unconscious adult male who attacked me. I think he's a Mutant...'

 _'Alright,_ ' Mrs Richards said. _'Stay on the line. We're on our way...'_

##################

Laura was standing outside the Medical Bay in the Baxter Building with Mrs Richards. Blond and a head taller than Laura, she was dressed in a white jumpsuit with a black and white hexagon pattern on the front. Inside the Medbay, Reed Richards was running a medical scan on the unconscious man.

'It's good to see you again, Laura,' she said.

'Thank you, Mrs Richards,' Laura said. 'I am sorry to trouble you with this...'

'Don't worry about it, honey,' she said as Reed emerged from the Medbay, closing the door behind him.

'Is he okay?' Laura asked and Reed hesitated.

'...I'm not sure. I've run a basic scan and they've confirmed that he is a Mutant. In fact, his...mutation seems very similar to yours. A Feral, you might say, with heightened senses and certain...animalistic instincts. However, it appears that his powers are damaging his neuro-cortex. As he uses his powers, it releases a surge of glutamates and endorphins which cause a rise in blood pressure, resulting in inter-cranial pressure that leads to internal hemorraging...'

He trailed off as he saw Laura's expression and he coughed.

'Basically, he suffers a mini-stroke every time he uses his powers...'

'Is there anything that you can do?' Laura asked.

'Possibly,' Reed said. 'I've given him an injection of nanites to try and repair the damage, but I will need to run some more tests before I'll know whether they will be effective. Either way, he will need someone to help him control his instincts to prevent further damage...'

'Can you help him?' Laura asked and Reed shook his head.

'No,' he said. 'He'll need someone who has experience dealing with these issues...'

'Who?'

'You...'

'Me...?'

'Reed's right, Laura,' Sue said. 'You know how this feels, which gives you the best chance of helping him...

'...very well,' Laura said. 'I...will try...'

##################

Laura looked up from the chair that she was sitting in next to the Medbay bed when she heard the groan to see the man's eyes open.

'Where...where am I?' he muttered, his eyes darting around the room. 'Who are you...?'

'My name is Laura,' Laura said. 'You are in the Baxter Building...'

'The...Fantastic Four Building...'

'They are called the Freedom Foundation, now... Can you tell me your name?'

'...Yeong-Su...How...did I get here...?' he asked, struggling to sit up and Laura hesitated.

'You...attacked me and then passed out. I brought you here to get help...'

'...help...?'

'Dr Richards is...a very smart man. The smartest I know. If anyone can help you, it's him...'

'What do I do, now?'

'Do you feel strong enough to get up...?'

'...yes...'

'Alright. Follow me...'

##################

'Hit me,' Laura said, tightening the strap on her boxing glove and Yeong-Su frowned.

'What...?'

'I want you to hit me,' Laura repeated.

'...okay,' Yeong-Su said, drawing back his fist and swinging a punch towards her head. Laura dodged the blow and stepped back.

'Come on. You can do better. Again...'

Yeong-Su's eyes flashed golden and he lunged towards her with a savage hook punch. Laura blocked the blow and swept his legs from under him, dumping him to the floor.

'Why are we doing this?' he asked as Laura helped him to his feet.

'...your powers are damaging your brain every time you use them. If you do not find another outlet for your anger, it will kill you. Now, let's go again...'

Yeong-Su crouched and lunged, Laura dodging the attack and striking him on the shoulder, sending him stumbling. With a snarl, he launched himself at her, unleashing a flurry of blows and she sidestepped, kicking him on the back of the knee, knocking him down. Then, he gave a strangled choking-cough, his eyes rolling back into his head, his chest heaving.

'Yeong-Su?' Laura said, punching the panic button on the wall and racing to his side, pressing her fingers to his neck. 'Hold on. Help is coming. Just hold on...'

##################

'What happened?' Laura asked, from where she was standing by the Medbay bed.

'The nanites are not working as I'd hoped,' Dr Richards said, as he pulled back Yeong-Su's eyelid, shining a torch into his eye. 'I'll need to try a larger dose...'

Preparing a syringe, he pressed it to Yeong-Su's neck with a hiss.

'How long will it take?' Laura asked.

'We'll know in a couple of hours,' Dr Richards said. 'You should get some rest...'

'I'm fine,' Laura said, pulling up a chair next to the bed.

'...very well,' Dr Richards said. 'I'll come and check on you when I know if he's responding to the nanites...'

'Thank you...'

##################

'Laura,' Dr Richards said and her eyes opened, looking up to see him entering the Medbay.

'Yes?' She said, sitting up, wincing at the stiffness in her neck.

'I've got the latest batch of test results,' he said, pulling up a chair and sitting next to her. 'The nanites seem to be working. He'll need another dose in a few hours, but I think that we might be out of the woods...'

'...okay,' Laura said, just as Yeong-Su gave a groan, his eyes flickering open.

'How do you feel?' Laura asked.

'...fine, I think. Did I...have another attack...?'

'...yes...'

'...did I hurt you...?'

'No...'

'...okay. What now...?'

'...Dr Richards has given you a larger dose of the nanites...'

'...and...that'll work...?'

'...Dr Richards thinks so...'

'...okay...' he said and Laura stood up.

'I'll...leave you to get some rest...'

'Laura...' he said and she stopped on her way to the door.

'...yes?'

'There's something that I haven't told you,' he said. 'When I have an attack...before I black out...I can feel myself slipping away...like I'm losing part of myself. If it keeps happening...I don't think there'll be anything of me to come back...'

'...that's not going to happen...'

'You don't know that. If it does...if it happens, I don't want to hurt anyone...you understand?'

'...I understand...'

##################

'How are you feeling?' Laura asked as she stepped into the Medbay, Yeong-Su sitting up in bed.

'...okay. I think. Dr Richards says that the nanites are working. Is there...any chance of getting something to eat...?'

'...Sure. Come on. Let's go...'

##################

'Here you are,' Laura said, handing a beef burger to Yeong-Su and taking one for herself.

'Thank you,' he said, taking a big bite. '...can I ask you a question...?'

'Yes...'

'Why are you doing this?...sorry, that came out wrong, but...you don't know me. And...I attacked you. Why would you help me...?'

'I...grew up in a laboratory,' Laura said, putting down her burger. 'I was cloned and raised to be a weapon. I know what it feels like to not be in control of your own body...'

'What do I do now?'

'That's up to you, Laura said. 'Once Dr Richards' nanites have worked, you will be free to leave...'

'I've...got to admit...that scares me...'

'...I know. I felt the same way when I first left the laboratory. But, I'll help you. You won't have to do it alone...'

'Thank you...' Yeong-Su said, his voice trailing off as he rose from his seat, his eyes turning golden and he gripped the edge of the table.

'Yeong-Su...?' Laura began as his hand lashed out, the blow lifting her off her feet. She struck the floor and Yeong -Su leapt over her, smashing the glass of the cafeteria door and ducking through, racing away down the corridor. With a groan, Laura got to her feet and staggered towards the intercom, punching the button.

'Mrs Richards,' she said. 'Yeong-Su's broken out of the Medbay. I'm going after him...'

##################

Laura followed Yeong-Su's scent down the corridor, finding him slamming his shoulder against one of the exterior doors.

'Yeong-Su!' Laura yelled and he turned, crouching down with a snarl, his hands curled into claws. 'It's me. It's Laura...'

'Yeong-Su,' Laura repeated, reaching out towards him and he snarled, slashing at her with his fingers curled.

'It's alright,' Laura said, jumping back out of range. 'I'm here to help you...'

'Help...?' Yeong-Su rasped, his eyes turning back to normal for a moment and she could see the pleading in his expression. . 'Help...'

Then, his eyes became golden again and he leapt, his hand's reaching for her throat. Laura leapt to meet him, her claws extending with a snikt and she plunged them into his heart. He gave a strangled gasp and collapsed, the light fading from his eyes. Laura stood still for a moment before retracting her claws and kneeling down to close his eyes.

'Mrs Richards,' she said, crossing to the intercom and pressing the button. 'The situation is over...'

 _'...I understand,'_ she said. _'Reed and I will be right there...'_

##################

'Are you okay?' Mrs Richards asked, as she and Laura watched Reed slid Yeong-Su's body into a stasis locker.

'...yes,' she said.

'Laura...'

'I failed him,' Laura said and Mrs Richards put her hands on her shoulders.

'That's not true. You saved him from hurting anyone. He's at peace, now...'

'...thank you,' Laura said, Mrs Richards giving her a hug.

'You can stay the night here, if you want...'

'Thank you,' Laura said. 'I think I'd like to be alone for a while...'

'...I understand,' Mrs Richards said, patting her on the shoulder as she headed towards the door, leaving Laura staring at the stasis locker.

 _I'm sorry, Yeong-Su..._

 **Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.**


End file.
